Where Is Olympian McKayla Maroney Nearly a Decade After Going Viral for Her "Not Impressed" Face?

The 25-year-old McKayla Maroney is best known for her gymnastic abilities, the “not impressed” face that spawned a thousand memes, and for bravely stepping up to reveal that she, along with dozens of other underage girls, had been a victim of molestation by USA Gymnastics doctor, Larry Nassar, who worked with the Olympic team at the time.

McKayla retired from gymnastics at just 19 years old and has been out of the spotlight for years. With the Tokyo Summer Games right around the corner, many fans are wondering where McKayla Maroney is now. Plus, why did she stop competing six years ago?

During the 2012 London Olympics, all eyes were on the “Fierce Five,” the beloved women’s U.S. Gymnastics team: Gabby Douglas, Aly Raisman, Kyla Ross, Jordan Webber, and McKayla Maroney. 

McKayla quickly became the darling of the games, helping her team win the gold and placing second on the vault herself. McKayla also gained a special type of notoriety when cameras caught her making a face that many deemed “not impressed,” while she received her silver medal.

The face became a meme that took over the internet and after she returned from the games, McKayla even recreated it with then-President Barack Obama. 

These days, the retired gymnast keeps busy with a number of different projects. For years, McKayla has hinted to fans that her true passion lies in music, and in March 2020, she released her debut single, “Wake up Call,” which was shortly followed by her second song, “COVID-19 Lockdowns.”

McKayla has also been trying to make it as an actress. So far, she’s made guest appearances in a number of popular TV shows, like NBC’s Superstore, the CW’s Hart of Dixie, and FOX’s Bones.

The multi-hyphenate talent recently revealed that she’s been working on a book detailing the mental and physical toll of her gymnastics career. She used her Twitter to announce, “If anyone needs any advice ... I’m working on a book right now, and I’m extremely excited to share my story and all the things I learned from being an elite gymnast.”

In the tweet announcing her upcoming book, McKayla said that her experience “felt too hard to write about before, but I’m ready now.” In 2017, she revealed that she was one of more than 150 girls who had been sexually abused by disgraced USA Gymnastics doctor, Larry Nassar.

Along with friend and fellow teammate Aly Raisman, as well as dozens of others, McKayla read a thoughtful and heartbreaking impact statement in court, detailing the abuse she endured at Nassar's hands. Thanks to all the girls' bravery in coming forward, Nassar was sentenced to 60 years in federal prison.

The horrible experience with Nassar, as well as the injuries sustained during her time on the U.S. Olympic team led McKayla to retire from the sport at just 19 years old. But in the years since, she’s made huge strides toward her recovery and is slowly coming back into the spotlight.

Here’s wishing McKayla the very best in all her future endeavors.